If somebody told you the Red Sox' first major league free agent signing this offseason would be making just $1 million less in 2024 than Shohei Ohtani, you would probably be wondering how they could be overpaying so much for the likes of Cody Bellinger, Blake Snell or Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Nope.
The name is Cooper Criswell and, according to a report from ESPN’s Jeff Passan, he has signed a one-year, $1 million deal with the Red Sox. Yes, that is just shy off the $2 million Ohtani will be making next season thanks to his unbelievably heavily deferred $700 million contract with the Dodgers.
Criswell is a 27-year-old righty reliever, who was taken in the 13th round of the 2018 Draft by the Angels out of the University of North Carolina. He has pitched in just 12 big league games, including 10 with the Rays last season.
In 33 innings with Tampa Bay in 2023, the 6-foot-6 hurler (he is in the 90th percentile in arm extension) allowed 21 earned runs over 33 innings, giving up 40 hits while striking out 27 and walking 11.
Criswell will compete for a spot in what is becoming a crowded Red Sox bullpen, one which has already been joined by offseason acquisitions Isaiah Campbell (Luis Urias trade), Greg Weissert (Alex Verdugo trade), and Justin Slaten (Rule 5).
Criswell does have options, allowing him to be sent to the minor leagues. This also puts the Red Sox' 40-man roster at 39 players.
